Apache Woman Drawing Water
This 1903 snapshot depicts a lone Apache lady sitting on her haunches, gathering water from a river in an unknown location. The Apache nation, like the Sioux, is a huge aggregation of various ethnic tribes that have united under the Apache banner. The vast Apache monarchy began in Colorado and extended across New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona, including parts of the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua. Because of the varied terrain they lived, the Apache engaged in a variety of occupations that aided their economy.
Apache Woman Drawing Water
Taqul the Moki Snake Priest
In this breathtaking shot from 1902, a shaman known only as Taqul stares angrily into the camera. Taqul was dressed in his “snake priest” outfit. Snake priests were among the Moki people and carried out one of the most death-defying ceremonies ever described. Once a year, snakes as dangerous as rattlesnakes and as harmless as bull snakes were captured alive and transported to a little community in what is now modern-day Mexico. Priests would perform elaborate dances and performances with reptiles in front of hundreds of spectators. According to reports, no priest has been bitten by a snake.
Taqul The Moki Snake Priest
